1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of inspecting a circuit board and an apparatus incorporating the circuit board, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, system, computer program and medium, for determining acceptability of a circuit board and an apparatus incorporating the circuit board.
2. Discussion of the Background
To determine acceptability of a circuit board or an apparatus incorporating the circuit board, an inspecting apparatus is usually connected to the circuit board or to the apparatus.
In one example, the inspecting apparatus inputs test data to the circuit board and compares processed data output by the circuit board with predetermined reference data. Based on the comparison result, the inspecting apparatus inspects the acceptability of the circuit board, and further, the acceptability of the apparatus.
In another example, the inspecting apparatus inputs test data to the apparatus and compares, visually, processed data output by the apparatus with predetermined reference data.
However, any one of the above methods is not capable of identifying whether the cause of a defect is attributable to the circuit board or to the apparatus, since the inspection is based on either one of the circuit board and the apparatus. Further, when the circuit board includes a plurality of functional blocks, it is difficult to specify the actual functional block causing a defect.
In addition to the above-described drawbacks, a conventional inspecting apparatus has a problem in compatibility. To provide test data and reference data suitable to the circuit board or the apparatus to be inspected, the inspecting apparatus is generally manufactured for each type of the circuit board or the apparatus. Thus, a general-purpose inspecting apparatus capable of inspecting a wide variety of inspected items is desired.